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Quick action squelches potential CHS threat

A perceived threat posted by a Cookeville High School student on the social media platform Instagram over the weekend led authorities to take a suspect into custody early Monday.

Director of Schools Jerry Boyd said officials first learned of the threat through a fellow student who saw the post.

"Cookeville High School administrators were contacted through email by a concerned student notifying them of (the) post," Boyd said. "The post pictured a CHS student holding a handgun with a caption warning students not to attend school on Monday morning."

Boyd said the Putnam County Sheriff's Department was also contacted concerning the post.

"Officers from the Sheriff's Department went to the student's home before school hours on Monday morning, took the student into custody, and transported the student to juvenile detention," Boyd said. "The student that made the post was not on the CHS campus at any time Monday."

Officials stressed no one at the school was ever in any danger. Boyd said the parents of CHS students were notified of what was going on through the School Messenger service, which was initiated by the high school administration.

The 17-year-old male student who made the Instagram post was charged with filing a false report.

Meanwhile, Boyd praised the student who reported the incident.

"(We) would like to thank the alert student that contacted CHS administrators and the Putnam County Sheriff's Department informing them of the Instagram post," Boyd said. "The student making the report allowed school administrators and law enforcement officers the opportunity to respond decisively to the potential threat without interrupting the school day."